I am starting a new blog series called “Profiles In K-State Fandom” to highlight some of the great K-State fans out there. I’ve always been intrigued and interested how people discovered K-State and chose to become part of the “K-State Family.” I contacted a few people that agreed to participate to help me launch this idea and I hope to make this an ongoing series. There are a couple more coming soon after this one.

Ben Asmann is first because he was the first to complete his interview and get it back to me. I was aware of Ben before I ever met him in person because he is one of the creators of K-State videos on YouTube and I followed him there. I later met him in person during a K-State watch party at a mutual friend’s house. We played a game of pickup football in the backyard after the game and I sprained my ankle and realized I’m too old to be playing backyard football.

Ben is a guy that watches all the games and lives and dies with every made or missed basket in basketball or pass in football. He’s kind of like me in that respect. Even though I know him personally, I found that there is a lot that I don’t know about him and why he is such a huge K-State fan. I believe you will enjoy my first “Profile in K-State fandom,” Ben Asmann.

Tell me a little bit about your background.  Where were you born/where did you grow up and how did you become such a huge K-State fan? 

I was born in Wichita, lived there until I was 10 and then we moved to Overland Park. Both my parents actually graduated from Wichita State, so growing up I went to tons of Shocker baseball and basketball games with my dad. But as much as we loved Wichita State, there was that big hole missing where football is supposed to be. And the early years of Snyder filled that hole really nicely.

When my parents were dating in the late 70s, my mom went to school at K-State for one year – might’ve actually only been one semester. But when my dad came to visit, he just fell in love with the campus and the people, much like Snyder’s story about being dropped off and walking around campus. After that, he always called K-State his “adopted school”. So over the years, we spent lots of Saturdays driving to Manhattan for football games. I got to be there for a lot of the great ones. The 98 Nebraska game and beating Baylor & RG3 in 2011 probably stand out the most.

In short: I thought my dad was cool, and my dad thought K-State was cool.

What do you do for a living?

I work for a remodeling company. Mostly tile work but we contract big remodel jobs with plumbing, electrical, countertops, everything. I myself don’t install – I work on the logistics side of things. Ordering & picking up materials, preparing and staging jobs before they go out, keeping inventory of all the things we stock, stuff like that. I’ve been here for almost seven years now and I absolutely love where I work, what I do, and who I work for. Small businesses rule!

Are you married?  Kids?

Nope and nope. I’ve had the same girlfriend for several years but neither of us are in a big toot to tie the knot. And I don’t know that I ever want kids, honestly. Things kinda suck out in the world right now and the older I get, the more okay I am with forgoing the joy of children to preserve the liberties of my dependent-less lifestyle. I’m sure lots of parents are rolling their eyes at that answer. 

Is your girlfriend a K-State fan as well?

Ehh, she’s not overly passionate about college sports in general, but she’s a great sport. When the Cats are on she’ll watch with me, and I can usually get her to a football game once a season. Since she’s from San Diego, I think it helps that she grew up obsessed with the Wizard of Oz. 

What’s your favorite restaurant or hangout in Manhattan when you’re in town?

Hmm. That’s tough. A lot of my favorite places are gone; Taco Hut, Cozy Burgers… Guess I’d have to stick with a classic and just say Kite’s. I can’t think of a single day in my life where I have both had a bad day AND been inside Kite’s at one point. 

Do you have a favorite sport? Favorite K-State team?

Oh yeah, I mean, football is king. Favorite K-State team would have to be 2012. That was the last year we had season tickets before I left for the Navy. I didn’t realize those would be the last K-State games I’d ever get to attend with my Dad, but even just outside of that, that team was incredible. Week after week, just destroying everybody and laughing in the face of the media and doubters as we rose from unranked to #1 in the polls. I have very fond memories of that season.

A close second might be the 2019 Men’s basketball team with Barry, Dean, Kam, Xavier Sneed. You had Diarra’s windmill dunk, you had the ending of KU’s Big XII streak, and I think people forget about that 9 game stretch where we beat every other team in the Big XII. That was a really fun year, too.

Do you travel to K-State away games?

Not like I want to. I almost always go when they play in Lawrence, but a lot of that is convenience and familiarity. I’ve been to Ames once, Stillwater, Nebraska & Columbia back in the day, couple of bowl games. I’m going to make a really conscious effort to get to at least one I haven’t been to this upcoming year – maybe a new Big XII addition’s stadium. I didn’t drive down to Arlington for the Big XII Championship last year and I’m still kicking myself for it.

If so, do you have a favorite away game place or story to tell?

Oh boy, do I ever! 2010 Sunflower Showdown (The 59-7 game). My dad and I are walking in – we’re right outside the stadium and there’s these four or five KU fans kinda standing in a circle. Definitely drunk, just being ornery. Well one of them turns to us as we walk past and just slurs out, “K-State f*ckin’ sucks” and as much as I didn’t want to even respond, I couldn’t help but notice that I had recently developed a little post-tailgate-junk-food gastrointestinal rumbling. Had a bad boy primed and in the chamber, as a matter of fact. So not three seconds after he gets the words out, I just kinda grin, look at my dad, look back at the dude, and lift my leg mid stride to unleash what can only be described as a generational ass-ripping. I mean probably two dozen people in the vicinity heard it, but I didn’t care. We laughed really, really hard. Farts are funny. Frick off.

Any negative experiences?

Ehh, not really. You’re gonna get a jerk or two anywhere you go, but in general, people tend to act much differently to your face than they do on Twitter.

What is your favorite K-State sports memory?

Now THAT is tough. I guess I’d have to say the 2012 football game against Texas. We won the Big XII, I met the legendary K-State Mask, it was the last game I’d ever attend with my dad, and Tyler Lockett scored the basically game-sealing long TD right in front of our seats. I left for Navy boot camp 4 days after that game, so that was one hell of a sendoff.

Who is your favorite K-State player(s), past or present?

Collin Klein. The man embodies class, toughness and hard work. I can remember when I’d have some really hard days in boot camp, I would dig down and try to sort of channel a similar mindset to his and push through my own obstacles. The combination of reminiscing that season and sort of using his toughness as inspiration really brought me a lot of strength and comfort. It definitely stings that he recently departed for aTm, but I’d bet money he’ll ride back in to town valiantly and heroically before it’s all said and done.

Other favorties, you know the usual: Jacob Pullen, Michael Bishop, Dean Wade, Darren Sproles, Kevin Lockett. Also Arthur Brown and Tramaine Thompson… Those 2011 & 2012 squads were special, man.

Who is your favorite K-State coach(es), past or present?

Gotta be Bill Snyder. None of this exists without him. I was also a massive Frank Martin fan – seeing him go was devastating.

If you had to guess, what percentage of your wardrobe is purple?

Hard telling. Most days I wear something K-State but it’s probably only a quarter of my closet. I gotta clean some of that other stuff out… I will say I wear purple enough that it gets sorted into its own pile on laundry day, separate from the blues & grays pile.

What does the “K-State Family” mean to you?

K-State fans share something really unique that I don’t think many other fan bases do. Its really hard to describe. There’s this sort of understanding between all the fans that we like who we are and what we’re about, and it just feels like we’re a little closer. If I’m at the grocery store some Saturday afternoon after a big football win, when I’m passing someone in purple in the aisle, like… we’re high-fiving. It’s just understood. I can remember BLASTING Wabash Cannonball after the 2011 win @ Miami on my way into work. Windows down, volume knob all the way up, I mean I was just being straight up obnoxious. Some dude pulls up next to me at a stoplight and just starts Wabashing to my music. So I join him and we’re just looking at each other, Wabashing and laughing, the two of us at 135th & Metcalf. So I guess, to me, “Family” can best be described as dancing with strangers at stoplights.

You are kind of “famous” for creating K-State videos and content on social media. When did you start doing this and how many videos would you say you have created over the years? Do you have a favorite or favorites? Which one is the most watched?

Oh man, there’s a loaded question. So I’ve always loved editing videos, even as a kid. I’d have my dad bring his VHS Camcorder to the skate park and tape me doing weak little tricks. But when I’d overlay music, I thought that was the coolest thing ever. So that developed into “Jackass” knockoffs in middle school and eventually, I turned my effort to sports highlights. The rest is history!

If we’re talking serious videos that I put lots of time and effort into, I don’t know, I probably have 60 or 70 over the years. Those goofy made-for-reddit HQ Gifs, that’s a different story; those are in the hundreds. My personal favorite video is probably my recent re-make of “Stand Up for the Champions”. I tried to keep it true to the original from 2003, to honor that video – what an absolute staple that was on everyone’s YouTube “K-State Videos” playlist. The most watched is probably “Purple, Get Ready to Roll”, just a fun little hype video of the Snyder years set to a song from an X-Men movie. Shout out to Jack Harry for his powerful words in those videos!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Maybe just a little shout out to some folks I like?

Taylor Braet – Never change, you beautiful human.
Stan Weber – MISTER K-State. Please get a Twitter. Please?
Steven St. John of Sports Radio 810 WHB – Love that dude. He makes Kansas City a better place.
And you! Thanks for putting this together. It’s fun to relive those memories and daydream about the ones we have yet to make!

GO CATS!!!

Many thanks to Ozzy for being one of the first participants in my series. You can follow him on X at https://twitter.com/EvryManAWildcat. And you can follow me at https://twitter.com/joemathieu.

If you would like to nominate someone to be featured in “Profiles in K-State fandom,” please message me and I’ll reach out to them. Thanks!